My Favourite Affordable Skincare Brand Just Landed at Boots, and I'm So Excited
While I've never thought of myself as a particularly extravagant person, I recently totted up my regular skincare routine and found that it totalled an eye-watering £669. Yikes. With that in mind, I've been busy testing more affordable skincare options than ever in my quest to find efficacious products that don't compromise on results. Currently, I am somewhat obsessed with Versed, our sister skincare line in which every single product clocks in at £20 and under.
And the affordable price tag doesn't mean that you're compromising on quality. Every product is made from clean, simple ingredients that have been sustainably sourced and tirelessly tested for maximum results. From cleansers and serums to moisturisers and eye creams, it's a full range of hardworking skincare that I'm recommending to everyone. Oh, and it's just landed at my favourite place to shop for affordable beauty: Boots.
Keep scrolling for my honest review of every product in the Versed range.
Cleansers and Toners
This is a light, refreshing daily cleanser that's so gentle on the skin and lightly froths to wash away dirt and grime. I like to use this one in the morning because it's infused with rose water and mint, so it has a really uplifting aroma.
I love a cleansing balm, but some of my favourites are seriously pricey. This is a brilliant, affordable option that's infused with vitamin E and transforms into a light milk on contact with water to leave skin soft, supple and without any oily residue.
My acne-prone skin loves salicylic acid, so I was super excited when Versed launched this cleanser. It's a foaming formulation, but don't let that put you off—this is a thick, creamy lather that doesn't feel drying or stripping on the skin. If I could only use one cleanser from the range, it would probably be this one.
This is a really creamy exfoliator that uses teeny-tiny microcrystals—a biodegradable, plant-based alternative to microbeads—to gently polish away dead, dull skin cells. It isn't gritty or rough but leaves my skin looking brighter and feeling softer every time I use it.
This is a unique product, as you can use it however you want, really—as your first, last or only step in your skincare routine. It removes makeup, restores your skin's natural pH balance and hydrates to leave your skin so soft and hydrated. It's brilliant if you're into a simple, pared-back skincare routine.
This is one of my favourite products from the Versed collection. I have a lot of pigmentation left behind from old spots, and this toner has really helped to lighten them and generally even out my skin tone. It also contains exfoliating AHAs and skin-brightening ingredients like azelaic acid, so my skin looks more glowy too.
Serums and Treatments
If you're prone to breakouts like I am, then I can't recommend this serum enough. I tend to use it at night, and it really works to calm inflammation caused by active spots and bring down redness so skin looks calmer by morning.
Then, come morning, this rejuvenating serum comes into its own. I love vitamin C serums, and this definitely isn't the most potent one I've tried. Although, it definitely does a decent job of boosting radiance when my skin looks tired. I think it's a great one to try if you're prone to irritation when using higher-strength vitamin C serums but you'd still like to add luminosity to your skin.
This is exactly what it says it is—a gentle retinol. It uses an encapsulated retinol, which works by moving past the skin's surface and getting to worth beneath to prevent irritation, and it leaves skin feeling plumper and looking clearer and more even in tone. I've had some pretty bad reactions to retinol in the past, but my skin really loves this one.
Eye-Care
I'm nearly 32, and I'm definitely starting to see those first signs of ageing with the slightest of fine lines starting to appear around my eyes. This rich, algae-enriched formula works to smooth those out while illuminating the whole eye area at the same time. This is intensely moisturising, so if you're not a fan of rich eye creams, maybe check out one of the other Versed eye products first.
This would be my personal eye product of choice from the Versed collection. Leave it in the fridge overnight if you suffer from puffiness, and it feels so cooling and refreshing on tired eyes. Plus, it contains vitamin C and tons of other good stuff to keep eyes looking bright throughout the day.
With a 1-year-old who doesn't always love sleeping in his own bed, I found that this product really spoke to me. It's a nifty mix of cooling and de-puffing cucumber juice alongside invigorating caffeine, and it works in just 10 minutes—leaving even the most tired of eyes feeling soothed and looking more awake.
Masks and Peels
This product is so good. It's a blend of exfoliating lactic and glycolic acids and vitamin A (aka retinol) that works to remove dead skin cells, brighten your complexion and hydrate while you snooze. Just smooth it on to clean skin before bed, and then cleanse as normal in the morning, and you will genuinely be amazed at how good your skin looks.
As a big fan of clay masks, I had high hopes for this one, and it really didn't disappoint. Alongside toning and detoxifying kaolin clay, it has brightening turmeric and skin-tightening witch hazel. After about 15 minutes, my skin always looks brighter and more toned. It's a brilliant one to use before a big event or a night out. (Remember those?)
Moisturisers and SPF
This is the moisturiser that I wish I'd had as a teenager. It's a really lightweight, jelly-cream texture that imparts just the right amount of hydration without weighing skin down or adding excess shine. These days, I like my moisturisers to have a little extra hydration, but this would be a great option in the warmer summer months.
This feels like a luxury skincare product at a fraction of the price. It's packed with anti-ageing ingredients like algae extract, vitamin E and squalane, and it feels rich and nourishing on the skin. If you have dry skin, then you'll adore this, but I'm totally obsessed with it too even though I have more of a combination complexion.
Lip-Care
My lips are basically always dry, but turns out a lip oil actually does a way better job of moisturising than a balm. It's definitely a bit slippier in texture so not something that I'd reach for every day, but I love these tinted versions for adding a wash of colour along with sheeny hydration. There's an untinted version too if you want the moisture without the added tint.
Up next, these are the skincare trends that you won't want to miss in 2021.
Mica Ricketts is a freelance beauty editor, copywriter and regular contributor to Who What Wear UK. She also writes for titles including Marie Claire Refinery 29 and Cosmopolitan, and previously worked at Who What Wear UK as Beauty Editor. With experience in both editorial and content management, she also works with beauty brands and small businesses on brand messaging and content strategy. As a busy mum of two, she is passionate about finding efficacious beauty products that can disguise all signs of tiredness with minimal effort.
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